The present invention, Colocasia ‘Black Ripple’, relates to a new and distinct interspecific hybrid of Colocasia, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Black Ripple’. ‘Black Ripple’ is a new tropical plant used as a landscape and container plant in tropical and subtropical areas.
The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Louisville, Ky. The overall purpose of the breeding program is to make selections of Colocasia plants that are unique with large leaves and vigorous growth habits. ‘Black Ripple’ arose from a cross made in July of 2009 between unnamed plants of a Colocasia of hybrid origin from the Inventor's breeding programs as the female and male parents. ‘Black Ripple’ was selected as a single unique plant in June of 2011 from amongst the seedlings derived from the above cross.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by in vitro propagation under the direction of the Inventor in Eustis, Fla. in May of 2012. Asexual propagation by in vitro propagation has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.